Caged
by My Bad Addiction
Summary: Post - war Hogwarts. As the girlfriend of the Chosen One, Ginny is crowned Princess of Hogwarts. She is plunged into a world of superficiality where everything is supposedly picture perfect. On an encounter, she meets a Slytherin bad boy with demons of his own. He makes her feel alive, happy but can a deflected former Death-eater and a princess ever truly be together?
1. Prologue

**__****A/N:**

**__****Hello lovelies! xoxo I'm back with a new take on Draco & Ginny fanfiction. Gosh, I've truly missed being on this site. Anyway, I hope that you find this little prologue interesting enough to hit the subscribe button. Its a story that is way different from all of my works so far and I'm really excited to be sharing it with you guys. Perhaps it's a little too soon to ask for comments but if you're excited as well then you can show me some love by hitting up the review button.**

**__****Only because a disclaimer is necessary and I studied Intellectual Property, **

**__****Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the various characters, settings etc are all property of J.K Rowling. The content and the creativity of this plot otherwise disclaimed are intellectual property of My Bad Addiction. No infringement is intended. Credit will be given when it is due. **

**__****Without further ado...**

* * *

**_Prologue_**

"Gryffindor wins!" The crowd went wild as Harry held the snitch up in the air victoriously.

The game was officially over. The remaining members of the Gryffindor team zoomed from their positions nearly knocking the triumphant seeker off his broom.

"Spectacular dive, mate!"

"That was bloody awesome, Harry!"

"Yay! We won!" Victory was in the air as the team congratulated each other and praised their Quidditch captain.

Ginny had been the first to reach her boyfriend. They hugged each other tightly sporting wide grins before Harry moved on to the rest of the team.

"I knew we were going to win, which is why I already made plans for a party in the dorms." Dean Thomas, her ex boyfriend and fellow chaser could be heard telling the team as they descended from the air.

"That's great, mate. I'd kill for a butterbeer." Ron said tiredly as he practically dragged his feet. They were all exhausted but nevertheless thrilled to party. The game had been challenging, heck they were playing against Slytherin, the royalties of strategies and what not, it was bound to be demanding.

Harry had an arm wrapped around Ginny as they walked towards the respective shower rooms.

"I'll see you back at the dorms. I'll be a while." Ginny smiled as she tip-toed and kissed her boyfriend's cheeks. Harry nodded as the team split heading into the respective shower rooms set aside for both sexes.

Wordlessly, Ginny stepped into the shower listening to her team mates thrilled babble as they showered. The excitement had not worn off and it won't, not for the next couple of hours at least.

To say Ginny was excited would be an understatement; she was practically buzzed on the adrenaline of Quidditch and Gryffindor's victory over Slytherin. She smiled at the thought of the prize awaiting her.

Within minutes, the shower room was empty; Ginny was the only one left. The rest of her female counterparts had finished up and left feeling absolutely famished. Ginny wasn't hungry, not the least bit. She continued to shower taking extra care to scrub away the dirt, grime, sweat and stench as her blueberry scented shower gel filled the air.

She took her time with changing as well. She changed into comfortable grey sweats and a white tank top. She threw over a navy blue hoodie. Once she was certain that the quidditch grounds would be empty, she left the shower room.

She was right in her estimation, the grounds were entirely deserted, she noted as she walked slowly towards the school entrance. As she took her first steps up the stairs, a pale hand shot out, grabbing her roughly and pulling her behind the pillars where they were out of the sights of any prying eyes.

Ginny yelped, evidently startled however, that soon changed as she stared into the mercury eyes of the person who had the audacity to manhandle her. There was only one.

Her smile grew as she studied the exasperation written all over his features. He had no choice but to bow. They had lost after all. Accepting defeat was never easy for someone whose ego rivaled the size of the planet Saturn.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." She teased, her hands inching up slowly from his chest. She grabbed him roughly by his collar, pulling him in for a deep kiss.

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_**This is truly truly a work in progress, I'll be updating this story in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned. **_

_**Love, **_

**_MBAxoxo_**


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **_

_**Hello lovelies! **_

_**Thank you so much to all those who reviewed, added me on Story Alert, I recognized a couple of names from my previous stories. It is good to have you back! If you are new here, please do stay on to give my stories a chance to entertain. **_

_**Secondly, this is the first official chapter for this story so as tradition would permit, here is a summary: **_

_**Post - war Hogwarts. As the girlfriend of the Chosen One, Ginny is crowned Princess of Hogwarts. She is plunged into a world of superficiality where everything is supposedly picture perfect. On an encounter, she meets a Slytherin bad boy with demons of his own. He makes her feel alive, happy but can a deflected former Death-eater and a princess ever truly be together? **_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the various characters, settings etc are all property of J.K Rowling. The content and creativity of this plot otherwise disclaimed are intellectual property of My Bad Addiction. No infringement is intended. Credit will be given when it is due. **_

_**TAKE NOTICE that this copyright clause applies to this and every following chapter. **_

_**& now we may proceed….**_

* * *

**Chapter 1. **

Ginny Weasley strongly believed in the balance of things. Being constantly photographed for The Daily Prophet had its advantages. For instance, her views on life, her personality was held at esteem and she was constantly viewed as a badass. Up and coming designers sponsored her with clothing of the latest trends. She was a role model for girls out there and best of all, her words sparked change.

However, the same stature of the royal treatment that she had received from being a 'small – time celebrity' – her words, had balanced out with a set of painful disadvantages. For instance, she could never have bad hair days; she could not walk about Diagon Alley in anything less than high street fashion, she was required to attend events and meet people whose names, position and power she would forget within minutes of the meeting and lastly, she was required to stand beside her boyfriend in all her poised, elegant glory.

Oh no, not quite the last apparently, she simply could not miss a social gathering unless she was on her deathbed or comatose. Alas, she should have known what being Harry Potter's girlfriend would entail.

There we have what Ginny Weasley strongly believed in, _the balance of things_.

It had been a mere three months since the Second Wizarding War had ended leaving devastation in its wake. The wizarding economy had all but crashed. The Ministry of Magic had to be rebuilt under the constant supervision of the Magical Law Enforcement. Legislations passed had to be repelled and magical statutes that ordered the checking of the authenticity of non – purebloods had to be revoked.

The thousands of homes that had been destroyed had to be rebuilt. Sentences had to be passed on to wrong doers and deaths had to be mourned.

A sense of loss continued to fill the air as people struggled to get on with their lives. Who could blame them though? Everybody's wounds were as fresh as well, clean laundry?

Today was another attempt for a semblance of normalcy in their not so normal lives.

They were celebrating Seamus Finnegan's eighteenth birthday at Storm, the hottest nightclub in town. Loud music blasted through the smoke filled air as the guests danced the night away. The beat of the music and the lighting effects indeed helped with putting the club's name to justice.

Ginny stood dutifully beside her boyfriend as he socialised with their mutual circle of friends. She had been relatively quiet all evening mostly smiling and cracking a joke or two. No one seemed to notice anything out of place.

In reality, the truth was that Ginny was unwell. She had felt the beginnings of a migraine at the back of her skull in the early hours of the morning. She had brushed it off but eventually the blasted headache triumphed into a full blown migraine. It was one of the worst migraine attacks Ginny had ever experienced in her life.

The fact that she was currently in a party did nothing in her favour. _Zilch._ The club's second level had been booked for Seamus's party and everything had been arranged the way he liked, even smoking indoors.

Ginny's head felt as though it was being hammered. She could barely breathe. Despite her discomfort, Ginny was the picture of elegance. Even her boyfriend had failed to notice that she was not feeling well. She thought herself deserving of an award of some kind if she managed to get through the night.

At the insistence of her friend, Hermione, Ginny had gotten a cocktail that she supposedly simply had to try. It remained untouched.

As the night wore on, her condition worsened. The pain in her head was almost close to excruciating. She also started suffering from nausea. She managed to excuse herself graciously before she practically rushed towards the female room. Remembering that there had been an 'Out of Order' sign in the second level's toilet, she rushed down the stairs nearly colliding with the waiter carrying a tray of shots for them.

At the ladies room, she could no longer hold all that tension in and she puked her guts right out. She felt terrible; tears sprang from her eyes, her mouth tasted bitter and gross and her world was spinning. She came close to wishing for death, close. As she rested her head against the cool tiled wall, she gradually began to feel better. Her head throbbed lightly as though she had puked most of it away. Although she felt weak physically, she felt strong enough to pull herself together.

She would think about how unsanitary it was to be practically sprawled around the toilet later when she had _to scourgify_ herself. Finally on her feet, she stumbled clumsily out of the stall, struggling to find the centre of her gravity. Thankfully, the marble sinks were just in front of her and she grabbed them to stabilise her balance. She looked up only to view her reflection in the mirror. She looked terrible.

Her makeup that she had taken pains to perfect smudged. Her hair had lost the earlier effort it took to style it. Her face was pale beneath the sheen of powder. She looked like a hangover case. Hopefully her pictures from tonight did not turn out too terrible.

The air still reeked of damned cigarettes, it had to be the club, Ginny deduced as she began to rinse her mouth and wash her face. The cool water from the tap had a refreshing effect causing Ginny to feel a lot better than she had a couple of minutes ago. Most of her makeup had been washed off. One thing she applauded the club for even though its other aspects were appalling was the fact that they set aside towels for their guests. Ginny used a towel to wipe her face clean of all make up.

She used her wand for various cleansing charms which made her feel slightly better, like a percent of hundred.

"Chin up, Ginny. Just an hour of this and you can put your foot down and go home. Just suck it up for now, don't be such a pansy." She tried giving herself a pep talk as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She washed her face once again before making a split decision to undo her elaborately styled hair.

There… Her tensed head felt much better after it was let loose. She made an attempt to adjust her hair so that it didn't look like a wild mane.

"Did you know that talking to oneself is the first sign of madness?" An amused, unfamiliar male voice spoke startling Ginny to her bones. She had not expected another presence in the toilet yet she caught the stranger's eye through the mirror in the toilet.

He was curled up in a corner on a rattan bench. The stranger's hair had obviously been styled to perfection. He wore a black leather jacket over what appeared to be a dark blue v-neck tee and black jeans with loafers. His platinum blonde hair was mussed up, giving off the 'I-just-had-bloody-damn -amazing-sex' vibe.

Ginny eyed him from top to bottom feeling slightly unsettled as she met his smirk, "Take a picture, love. It will last longer."

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy." Ginny scoffed before turning back to the mirror –"And by the way, in case you didn't realise, this is the female room. And you are quite obviously, I might add, _male_ so get out!" She said as she made another attempt to adjust her hair.

"Or else?" He taunted while taking a puff.

"That you should get the hell out of here before I scream sexual harassment." She replied, barely glancing at him as she adjusted her hair.

He looked entertained, noted as she placed a bobby pin on her hair to secure the simple yet stylish hairstyle she had conjured barely a minute ago. Harry liked her hair tied up.

"Cat got your tongue?" She asked sarcastically as she turned to face him. She couldn't believe that she had missed his presence earlier. However, she excused herself for she was barely conscious. It shouldn't happen again though, previous experience had taught her otherwise. It was basically a statutory requirement for her to look every bit composed.

"No…" He replied smirking at her –"I was just thinking about how if you planned on shouting harassment, I should get what's due. I mean, it wouldn't be fair for you to shout harassment and not actually be harassed."

"W-what?" Ginny barely had time to get the word out of her mouth and he was right in front of her. She leaned back against the sink feeling alarmed. She hadn't thought to bring her wand. He closed the distance between them, blocking any routes of escape.

"Do you know who I am?" She practically shrieked.

"Red hair and rags for clothes, you must be a Weasley." She stared at him wide-eyed, her heart pounding in her chest. He leaned forward. As he spoke, his breath tickled her neck creating goosebumps as she winced from her skin's sensitivity.

"I don't think that you realised, love that we are in a club. No one would hear you shouting over the music." He raised his hand slowly but daringly to her head where he pulled the bobby pin releasing her waves.

-"Don't scream, it'll save you from a nasty sore throat."He said pulling out a second pin, then a third. Ginny's hair was completely rid of its styling now. –"There… your hair looks much better. Now… Cat got your tongue?" He said stepping a foot away giving her room all while looking as though he was the cat that ate the canary, no pun intended.

It was at this period that Ginny's mind started working and quickly it did. She reacted swiftly, pushing the hand that held the pins towards his chest. She completely took him by surprise as the pins he held jabbed him. He howled in pain widening the route of escape for her. Ginny dashed wanting to get away from this crazy boy as soon as possible.

She had been caught alone in a bathroom with a former Deatheater; not just anyone, her boyfriend's archrival from Hogwarts. Although the war changed things between both parties….Ginny still could not grasp her mind around it. All she wanted now was her bed, and some of that disgusting potion that cured migraines.

But of course, the night was far from over. Harry welcomed her with open arms as she returned. She smiled at him weakly as he wrapped a protective arm around her waist.

The girls who witnessed this exchanged sighs collectively. Some even shot her looks of pure envy but Ginny ignored them.

"Why did you leave your hair out? You know I like it tied up." He whispered in her ear sounding a tad bit irate. To the others, it looked as though he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. To the others, it looked as though he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Ginny's temper flared at his words however, she forced herself to cool off.

"My bobby pins fell." She whispered back apologetically cupping his cheek and caressing it lightly.

He leaned forward to brush his lips against hers, a sign that he was not bothered. He was probably caught up with his friends. It was after all the birthday party of one of their buddies. Ginny didn't know Seamus very well although he was the best friend of her ex boyfriend, Dean. He was a friendly Irish chap who was always making everyone laugh with his antics.

If it weren't for her blasted migraine and the fact that she was not the biggest fan of clubbing, she might actually be having fun tonight. Instead, her head hurt and she was dying to be in the comforts of her bedroom forcing a migraine relief potion down her throat.

"Ginny?" Hermione Granger, one of her closest friends and essentially a soul sister came and stood beside her. –"Do you want to accompany me to Diagon Alley tomorrow? I ordered a couple of books from Flourish which I need to collect. And you've been meaning to head down to the Florean's to get your favourite…. "

Before Hermione could continue, Ginny nodded her head wincing slightly from the effort. "Sure, Herms, I'll come with you to Flourish as well. I've been meaning to check the new releases anyway."

The girls conversed for quite a bit before Ginny put her foot down. An hour had passed. It was time for her to leave.

She approached her boyfriend, "Harry, I'm starting to tire out. Can we make a move?" She asked him in front of the birthday boy and the rest of their friends.

Before Harry could respond, Seamus protested, "You're no fun, Gin. The party is just getting started."

"I'm sorry Seamus." She said genuinely as she smiled weakly. As tired and unwell as she felt, Ginny could not bring herself to feel irate with Seamus.

"You look mighty exhausted though. You should escort her back, mate" Seamus said to Harry.

"Oh no that's okay. I will just apparate home. Besides, Harry hasn't seen the lot of you in a while. Except for this doofus here. " Ginny nudged her brother, Ron. She didn't care if her boyfriend followed her or not. She just wanted out. Truth be told, she just wanted to be left in her own solace for a while. Her migraine was returning at full force.

"You do look exhausted, Gin. Let me escort you home." Harry said gently as he moved a loose strand of hair away from her face.

She shook her head, "I'll be fine, Harry. It's not that late anyway. Seamus is right. The party is just getting started."

"But it's not safe …" Harry began to protest before Ginny covered his lips with her hand.

"Save your superhero complex, Harry. I will be fine. I have a wand and besides, the apparating point is just across the street." She added sarcastically.

Harry smiled sheepishly, "I am being paranoid aren't I?"

"You think?" Ginny raised an eyebrow while smiling back at her boyfriend.

"Alright… At least allow me to walk you out, Madam." There was a collective groan as Harry started to leave. Ginny waved at their friends.

"I'm walking Ginny out, mates. I'll be back." He grinned. They were probably going to take the partying notch up a little.

"He is such an amazing boyfriend…." A girl Ginny didn't particularly know or fancy could be heard telling her friend.

"I'd be more amazing if I escorted you home." Harry told her as they descended down the stairs.

Ginny shook her head adamantly. "I'll be fine. I just need to cross the road and bam! I'll be right in my bedroom."

"Alright, Gin. I won't push you. Could you… Oh I don't know send me a Patronus or something when you get back home? Is that too much to ask from my beautiful girlfriend?" He pulled her towards him, his arms wrapped around her waist. They were at the exit now. All Ginny literally had to do was cross over to the next street.

"When you put it that way…. "Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck before pulling him down for a kiss.

As she hugged her boyfriend, she was met with Draco's appraising eyes as he exited the club. His penetrating gaze had her attention. They stared at each other as she tightened her hold around her boyfriend. Despite all that had happened in the toilet, she was able to meet his stare boldly. Internally, it was another matter, he unnerved her entirely. She hoped that she wouldn't see him anytime soon.

* * *

_**For the purposes of this story, I will be making a couple of changes to the original ending in Deathly Hallows. So I hope you guys are okay with it and you liked the first chapter although it was not much and you really really really want to read more! **_

_**Having said all that, do REVIEW, ALERT, FAVOURITE (abit too shameless aren't I) and basically, let me know you exist. I look forward to hearing what you guys have to say!**_

_**MBAxoxo**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Caged **

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Saturday finally arrived with Ginny wanting to spend it spread out under the covers. She made it home safely last night and had immediately crawled into bed, her hair, little black dress and makeup be damned. She was feeling much better this morning although her head felt slightly tensed. She called it a 'residue' headache which according to her was the after effects of a migraine attack that went untreated.

Despite her wish to spend the rest of Saturday and possibly the weekend holed up in her room, very much to her dismay that was not the case. Hermione Granger, her friend, soul sister, her brother's girlfriend and incidentally her roommate over the summer holidays had reminded her that Ginny had promised her a trip down to Diagon Alley.

Well not quite a promise, but Ginny found herself getting ready because she did not want to disappoint Hermione. She knew for a fact that Hermione was looking forward to spending time with her. She took care to dress for a casual day out between both girls as she knew that they would be the scrutiny of the public.

Ginny had been visiting Diagon Alley ever since she was a little girl. There had been significant changes over the years thanks to the imparting circumstances. The cobbled street had shops which sold quite literally everything. She had yet to find an item she needed which could not be acquired within Diagon Alley itself.

It was the one stop street for wizards in the United Kingdom. A central point for meeting with her friends who lived all over UK, a shopping and dining district, a place for school supplies and a place where everybody pretty much knew everybody. At this thought, Ginny sighed to herself mentally as she smiled slightly at a few people who recognized her.

She was recognized as the girlfriend of Harry Potter, the teenage boy who saved the wizarding world from the reigns of Voldemort's terror. Hermione had her own share of recognition as well. The girls had smiled and waved at a couple of people. Thankfully no one had directly approached them.

Hermione chatted continuously about the Ministry of Magic and the Golden Trio's effort throughout the summer to aid the Ministry in rebuilding itself as an established and stable form of governance. Ginny appreciated the chatter and she listened on although she knew bits and pieces from what Harry had told her. He didn't dwell on details while Hermione was the exact opposite. Ginny was quite certain that after listening to Hermione, she would be able to recite the basic contents of the recent Bill that was drafted to introduce stricter laws for the Further Prevention of Cruelty to Non-Magical Beings.

Ginny rubbed her head a couple of times inconspicuously but on her third or fourth attempt, Hermione had caught her.

"Is everything alright, Ginny?" Hermione asked concernedly, turning to face her.

Ginny nodded her head slightly.

"You've been rubbing your head and you look so withdrawn and tired. I've been the one chatting all morning." Hermione laughed at that.

Damn Hermione, she never missed a thing. Ginny would have to tell the truth now. Her friendship with Hermione had taught her a long time ago that it was best to not attempt to evade things. Hermione always got to the bottom of each matter thanks to her meticulous and tenacious nature.

"I just have a slight headache that's all." Ginny explained.

"Oh…" Hermione looked satisfied by that –"Shall we get a potion?"

Ginny shook her head – "No, no, I'm fine. If it gets worse, we will get that potion."

Hermione looked slightly thoughtful at this. All of a sudden, she perked up and grinned, -"I know something that will make you feel much better. Let's go!" Ginny barely had a chance to protest when Hermione grabbed her by the hand and brought her down the alley towards the food and beverage side of Diagon Alley.

She felt like a little girl again, her arm being clutched tightly by her mother afraid of losing her in the bustling crowd. They had passed The Leaky Cauldron, a pub where everybody knew the bartender, Tom. She loved their Fish and Chips.

"There we go…" Hermione gestured brightly towards the parlour in front of them –"Nothing makes you feel better than a guilty pleasure."

Ginny glanced at her –"That kind of rhymes you know."

Hermione pursed her lips, "That was unintentional. We both know that amongst the both of us, you are the Rhyming Maestro. Now let's go in! I'd die for a scoop of mint chip.

They were at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. The parlour, true to its nature of food for sales, was every bit inviting and colourful to both adults and children. The girls went to the counter to place their orders from the man himself.

Hermione had ordered a double scoop of mint chip topped with rainbow sprinkles in her waffle cone.

"Will it be the usual for Miss Weasley?" Florean asked Ginny with a beard coated, grandfatherly smile.

She nodded her head. Ginny had been coming to her parlour ever since she was a little girl and Florean had her order memorised, this was especially because she never seemed to order anything else. If she was in the mood to try something new, she would balance out the order with a scoop of her favourite cookies and cream and a scoop of another flavour.

She received her order, a scoop of cookies and cream with a cookie dough centre. Hermione looked surprise at the fact that Ginny had only ordered a scoop but she chose not to pursue the matter. With every bite of her ice cream, Ginny's health looked considerably better. She chatted more and the girls laughed as they shared stories, gossips and jokes.

It was a known fact that women thrived on gossip afterall. Their respective boyfriends had made plans to play Quidditch today, Ginny had come to know. They had made the plans last night while they were at the night club. This meant that the girls would not be stopping by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the new and thriving joke shop a little further down the road courtesy of her brothers', the twins, Fred and George Weasley.

"Shall we have dinner here?" Hermione asked before taking a dainty bite out of her ice cream.

Ginny shrugged, basically indicating that she was fine with Hermione's idea.

"I'd love to get some Fish and Chips from The Leaky Cauldron. I caught a waft earlier, it smelt divine." Ginny sighed, dreamy at the thought of having one of her favourite dishes.

"Actually…" Hermione interrupted her little bubble, -"Have you heard of The Alfresco?" She asked.

Ginny nodded her head as she spooned her ice cream –"The restaurant that opened last week? They received rave reviews in the Daily Prophet."

Hermione continued eagerly from there –"Exactly, and guess what? We received complimentary invitations to dine there just the other day. I was thinking that we could go tonight, I heard their truffle fries are to die for and apparently their squid ink pasta is mindblowing."

"Oh…." Ginny paused. –"Okay."

"That's completely okay with you right, Ginny?" Hermione confirmed. –"If you want to go to the Leaky Cauldron, I'm good."

Ginny shook her head –"No, no it's perfectly fine. I'm sure I will come up to Diagon Alley again this week for something, I'll definitely have it then."

"Great. Well that's settled. I shall let the boys know." Hermione looked absolutely thrilled at the thought. She loved trying new things and visiting new places.

They continued to talk for a while more before leaving to walk down to Flourish & Blotts.

"Goodness knows I haven't had a day like this in the longest time." Hermione said as she took a deep breath of the summery air.

"You were definitely in need of something like this." Ginny agreed –"I don't quite understand how you can work within four walls. I'd much rather draft statutory amendments while sitting in a field or something."

"I don't think about the environment. I think about the task at hand. I could be sitting in a dungeon but as long as I had something to concentrate on, my environment would be one of the least of my concerns." Hermione explained.

At Flourish & Blotts, Hermione collected the books that she had ordered while Ginny browsed through the new collection of books they had. She had found out that one of her favourite authors had released a new book from her novella. Hermione was equally excited about that.

Both girls were huge fans of the author and they were completely and utterly in love with the male protagonist. As they currently shared the same room, Ginny insisted that Hermione read the book first. She had confessed that she insisted because Hermione was a fast reader and she was certain that she would have the book by tomorrow evening. This would in turn allow her to read and enjoy the book at her own pace.

After their business at the bookstore, they went window shopping for a little bit occasionally stopping to buy stuff. Ginny bought an entire box of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Hermione had gotten herself a pair of sandals at this shop that the girls had visited.

They had gotten a good bargain on the price of clothing from a particular shop. Both girls had left thoroughly satisfied with their shopping. Ginny especially was happy because she would have another outfit to mix and match her clothes with.

As they continued to kill time walking down the alley, Hermione suddenly remembered that she had to go to the Apothecary. She wanted to buy a couple of potion ingredients for a particular potion she intended to brew. Not someone who was partial to pungent smells, Ginny put her foot down at this. She refused to follow Hermione inside knowing that it would be encouragement for her residue headache. The smells would also encourage nausea, something that Ginny did not want to entertain as she was feeling rather queasy. Lastly, she knew that Hermione would definitely take time because she would scrutinize the ingredients wanting only the best of the best for her potions.

At this, the girls agreed to split and meet outside The Alfresco at seven. As Ginny was now alone, she decided to visit Quality Quidditch Supplies, one of her favourite shops in Diagon Alley. She could spend hours in there marvelling at the latest brooms or discussing quidditch with a fellow fan or follower of the game. It was very easy to make an acquaintance in that shop.

There next hour or so went rather quickly. Before Ginny knew it, she was late. She was supposed to meet the trio outside The Alfresco at seven in the evening. It was fifteen minutes past the meeting time and Ginny was scrambling to the other end of Diagon Alley.

Quality Quidditch Supplies was in North Side, Diagon Alley. It was a ten minutes walk, by the time she arrived; she would be twenty five minutes late. She could imagine their disapproving stares or worse, maybe they would forget that she was supposed to be there since the three of them were best friends.

Both scenarios did nothing to appease her. She could imagine Harry's calm expression as he explained that her lack of concern for punctuality could have led them to be concerned for her safety. Despite the war's end, the wizarding world was definitely not at its safest yet. She loathed the way he would explain things to her as if she were a mere child. She was seventeen years old for goodness sake.

Ginny noted the time once again before breaking out into a run. She was feeling terribly uncomfortable with the wooden edge of her sandals poking at her feet. Her sandals had been pretty when she had purchased them, now they were pretty painful. The ache in her legs warned her of her exhaustion. She was a fit person, being obsessed with Quidditch and all however at this point, she felt ill.

Less than two minutes into the run and she felt horrid. Her legs throbbed from sheer exhaustion and her throat was parched. Bright spots of yellow flashed before her eyes and she felt faint. She stopped to catch her breath and to hopefully retrieve her vision but to no avail. Her head spun and she felt bile rising. Her vision of the crowded street had turned grey. Her knees buckled and Ginny collapsed welcoming the darkness that engulfed her.

* * *

The fact that her room was cold was one of the first things that Ginny noted as she slowly drew out of her unconsciousness. Her blanket was thin, in fact it was practically a sheet and her bed was uncomfortable. It didn't help that her room smelt oddly like the disinfectant her mother used whenever she cleaned the kitchen. She was used to the sweet scent of red velvet cake that her therapeutic candles emitted.

Her eyelids felt glued together and although she didn't want to, she forced herself to open her eyes only to find herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Blearily, she looked up only to be startled by two identical redheads grinning at her, Fred and George.

"About time you woke up, Gin." Fred greeted her, his brown eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, we were contemplating testing a new product on you." George agreed.

"It's supposed to be stinky enough to wake up the dead." Fred added.

Ginny frowned, failing to understand the situation.

"What time is it?" She whispered. She felt weak, tired and really thirsty.

"About a quarter past nine." Fred replied as he briefly checked his watch.

"Am I in St Mungo's?" Ginny asked as she took in her surroundings. –"What happened?"

The twins shrugged –"You collapsed in the middle of Diagon Alley. Someone recognized you and brought you here. We were already back from the match so we left Verity to handle the closing shift."

Things were becoming more apparent for Ginny as the fog that surrounded her head gradually cleared.

"I was supposed to meet ….." Her eyes widened in alarm –"Oh no, do they know I'm here?" She gasped.

"Calm down, Ginny. Yes, they are aware. They went down a while back to get Ron a snack." George explained.

-"I am going to let the Healer know that you are awake. You've got a fierce one. She'll probably have our heads if she walks in and we haven't told her that you are alive and dandy." Fred stood up and left the room.

"They're going to be so disappointed. Hermione was really excited to dine at the restaurant." Ginny said mournfully.

"What's a little disappointment in view of someone's health, eh Ginny?" George ruffled her hair as he helped her sit up comfortably. –"I shall pour you a cup. You sound like Aunt Muriel and quite frankly, that is frightening."

Ginny smiled slightly at her brother's attempt at a little joke. She drank three cups of water by the time Fred returned with the Healer. The Golden Trio were right behind her.

"There are too many visitors in the room. I can only permit one of you to stay as I check over Miss Weasley." The Healer informed them. She was a plump, middle age woman with brown hair that a firm tone that reminded Ginny of her own mother.

"I will stay with her." Hermione volunteered probably assuming that Ginny's privacy would feel less violated if she was with female company.

"No, no. I'll stay. I want to hear the diagnosis firsthand." Harry told her.

Ginny smiled at Hermione slightly assuring her that she didn't mind Harry's company. He sat down on the chair that George previously occupied. He took her hand squeezing it lightly as the Healer began to check on Ginny's health.

As she questioned Ginny, it became apparent to the three people in the room that her collapse was the result of an untreated migraine. Harry was stunned when Ginny revealed that she had been having a migraine at the club last night.

"But you seemed absolutely fine to me. A little tired but that's all." He frowned as he recalled the events of the previous night.

"That's because I didn't want you to worry." Ginny replied. It was her turn to squeeze his hand in reassurance and that was exactly what she did.

"You should have told me that you weren't feeling well, Ginny. I wouldn't have minded leaving the place early. And you didn't even take a headache relief potion when you went home..." He shook his head, upset.

"A headache relief potion wouldn't have been of much help, Mr Potter. Miss Weasley has said that her migraines are rather often, I will prescribe a potion specifically for her condition. Also, Miss Weasley, your blood pressure is rather high. The potion you will consume after this should bring it back to the normal range however; I'd like you to watch over your diet for the next few weeks." She said as she scribbled notes with her quill.

"Lay off dishes that are high in salt and fat content. I am surprised that you've had this going untreated thus far. It can be dangerous for your health." The Healer said rather severely as she handed Ginny a potion to drink much to her dismay.

"How long will she have to stay here?" Harry addressed the Healer.

"Well, I think we should keep her a night for observation before she is deemed good to go. Her exhaustion is quite apparent. I will send for some food before she rests. As Miss Weasley is still a minor, I trust that her parents have been informed, Mr Potter?" The Healer narrowed her eyes at him.

He nodded his head, "Yes they have been but her brothers said they will take care of her as they live nearby. I expect that her parents will be here in the morning."

"Well then, I'll leave the patient to rest. Not too long, Mr Potter." She advised before leaving the room.

Harry turned his attention on Ginny who remained quiet throughout. She looked exhausted, he noted. She should have put her foot down on going to Diagon Alley with Hermione this morning.

He recalled their conversation at The Alfresco as they awaited her arrival. She had been running late but they hadn't been surprised. Punctuality had never been one of Ginny's strongest traits. She was always distracted by something or another. Her brother, Ron and Harry's best friend had been awfully crabby about her lack of regard for punctuality. Not that he was Mr Punctual himself, he was simply starving.

It was only after Hermione mentioned that Ginny was very unlike her usual bubbly self today that they felt slightly apprehensive. Later, they had received word that Ginny was at St Mungo's. This will probably be all over the Prophet tomorrow. Harry shook his head as he focused his attention on his girlfriend.

He shifted such that he was sitting on the edge of her bed. Caressing her hair, he picked up the mug that held the potion she was ordered to consume. Ginny grimaced as she braced herself to swallow the nasty tasting brew.

"A quick gulp, alright?" Harry said as he held out the mug to her. –"I think I have a Chocolate Frog here somewhere. We'll change that horrible taste in your mouth soon enough."

Ginny glared at the mug as though doing so would change its disgusting flavour. She pinched the bridge of her nose before she gulped the contents of the mug down. She visibly shuddered as Harry took the mug away from her handing her a chocolate frog.

A bite or two into the chocolate frog and her dinner arrived. It was a simple meal consisting of mushroom soup and French bread. Harry had taken it upon himself to feed her.

"Thank you, Harry." Ginny said very quietly as she finished the last of the soup. It was a relatively bearable meal. She would have to get used to eating tasteless food for a while. Had she drunk the soup alone, it would have been long abandoned but Harry had sweetly coerced her into finishing the entire bowl.

"I'm glad you are okay, Gin." Harry said as he set the bowl on the bedside table. He pulled her into his arms kissing her forehead lightly.

"I want in the next time you are unwell. Alright?" He admonished. She nodded her head.

"Good." He replied, satisfied. –"Can't have my girlfriend fainting in the streets or anywhere else for that matter."

He held her in his arms as she reveled in the comfort of being in his embrace. He kissed her once again on her forehead before planting kisses on her nose, her cheeks and finally her lips.

She moved such that there was enough space for both of them on the hospital bed. As they laid together, Ginny realised that this was the first time in days that they were spending time together and without the scrutiny or the weight of the world on either of their shoulders. It had taken a fainting spell, no pun intended, to get her boyfriend all to herself.

* * *

_**A/N: As usual, a big thank you for the support I've received for the previous chapter! I'm really stepping out of my comfort zone with this story (it will probably get more apparent further into the story) so I really appreciate the support. It makes me happy to know that people still want to read my work. **_

_**Also, sorry no Draco for this chapter but I promise he will be back soon. I miss our beloved Mr Malfoy as well. **_

_**Review and do let me know what you think is gonna happen, what you thought of this chapter or simply what you think in general! I look forward to reading your comments! **_

_**MBAxoxo**_


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